jefferson middle school

After being approved at the Columbia City Council meeting April 15, certain schools can now have more than six chickens on their property. The amendment was proposed to enhance STEAM programming.

Aside from an annual 10-day project in elementary school classrooms, no public schools in Columbia raise chickens.

But starting this fall, Jefferson and Fairview Elementary School will be the first two to raise them long-term. Fairview is transitioning to become a place-based school, which emphasizes a focus on the school's surrounding environment over places only accessible in textbooks or technology.

KBIA's Charlie Clarke and Columbia Missourian reporter Hannah Hoffmeister went around to some of the district's schools to see how chickens are currently used in schools and how they'll be implemented in the future.

October is National Bully Prevention Month, and some local schools are addressing the problem with special programs and discussions.

Every morning in Patti Watts’ classroom at Jefferson Middle School, she begins the day with an 18 minute advisory session, and this month, the topic covered is bullying. Watts’ enjoys this time with her students, and believes this more relaxed atmosphere gives students the confidence to speak their minds.